Tiger Finds a Place to Retire After Being Rescued from Argentina Zoo

Lucy, a 16-year-old tiger, is finally enjoying the open spaces and natural surroundings at the Minnesota Wildcat Sanctuary in Sandstone, Minnesota. However, her journey to this peaceful home was far from simple. Covering 7,200 miles, Lucy’s relocation from the Mendoza Zoo in Argentina to Minnesota involved planes, customs, and a long road trip from New York to the sanctuary.

The story of Lucy’s rescue can be traced back to 2018. That year, the Wildcat Sanctuary in Minnesota agreed to take in seven lions from the Mendoza Zoo after animal advocates intervened. The lions endured a difficult journey but eventually settled into their new home in central Minnesota. A few years later, in 2021, those same advocates reached out again. They requested the sanctuary’s help to rescue Lucy, the last big cat remaining at the zoo, which had closed.

Recalling the decision, Tammy Thies, the executive director of the Wildcat Sanctuary, said, “I remember being asked if it was the right thing to try and move a geriatric tiger literally across the world. But not helping meant she might never know what it was like to have grass under her feet or freedom to roam.”

After years of planning, Lucy was finally transported over 12 hours by road from the Mendoza Zoo to an airport in Buenos Aires. From there, she flew to New York, where a team from the sanctuary picked her up and drove her the last 1,200 miles to Minnesota. Officials from the Mendoza Zoo explained the importance of the move, stating, “The Wildcat Sanctuary will provide her with better living conditions, satisfying her needs and requirements for this stage of her life, in which old age begins to manifest daily challenges.” Now, Lucy is adjusting to her new life in Minnesota, where she can bask in the sun, roam through grass, and rest in soft, straw-filled beds, experiencing more freedom than ever before!

Please sign this petition to demand That a Tiger Who Escaped a Zoo Be Sent to a Reputable Sanctuary!

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